Category Archives: Religion

In John F. Kennedy’s 1961 presidential inaugural speech, he said, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

Today’s politicians seem more interested in using America—or the American media—to propagate political smear campaigns against their opponents. In the last several elections, I’ve learned very little about what each candidate thinks he/she can do for the country. I haven’t heard a lot about the candidate’s credentials or political views. Instead, each candidate seems more focused on defending themselves against attack or slinging mud at the other candidates. These campaigns have been so effective, many candidates are defeated before we learn much about them.

Herman Cain seemed to be a fine candidate for president. He’s a pro-business family man who had a lot to offer to the Republican campaign—until rumors of infidelity and sexual harassment surfaced, and the media went on the attack.

Television, radio, and more recently, the internet, have increased the speed at which political rumors fly. If a candidate steps out of a cab at midnight in New York with lipstick on his collar and his fly open, there’ll be a video on You Tube before dawn and a news broadcast at noon.

The term “living in a fishbowl” has never been more true than in today’s media hungry society.

But political smear campaigns are nothing new. The mid eighteen hundreds was a time of anti-Catholic sentiment in the America. During Abraham Lincoln’s political campaign, his opponents spread rumors that he was a Catholic.

And in 1884, Grover Cleveland’s political opponents insisted the presidential candidate had an illegitimate child. Their rally cry became: “Ma, ma, where’s my pa? Off to the White House, ha ha ha!”

Woodrow Wilson was a brilliant student, teacher, and statesman. He led the nation through the First World War. And yet, he wasn’timmune to nasty political rumors. First Lady, Ellen Axon Wilson died just one year after her husband was elected president. When Wilson remarried a year later, rumor mongers claimed he murdered his first wife so he could marry his true love.

The rumors didn’t stop him from getting re-elected.

Rumors that President Obama is a Muslim and not a US citizen didn’t prevent him from getting elected either.

Now it’s election time again. The old rumors are resurfacing and the President has the added burden of defending his presidency. But he’s not alone in the political hot seat.

Newt Gingrich’s ex-wife accused him of asking for an open marriage while he was already engaged in an affair with his current wife. And according to some other political rumors, Mitch Romney is Mexican.

So, what’s fact and what’s fiction? Is there a single candidate running for office who doesn’t have a ghost in his/her closet?

This election, Americans will have to vote for the candidate whose “ghosts” are least likely to affect his/her ability to lead a nation. Either that, or flip a coin.

Easter coincides with the vernal equinox. According to the New Testament, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred about the same time as the Jewish Passover, which was celebrated on the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Both those who believe in the Good Friday to Easter Sunday and the Wednesday to Saturday timeline for Christ’s death and resurrection do not argue this point. But, because of the differing phases of the moon, Christians celebrated Easter at different times and by the end of the second century, some churches celebrated on Passover and others celebrated the following Sunday.

The year I was born, Easter was on April 17th. The year I got married, it fell on April 6th, the day after my birthday. Easter was March 30th the year my oldest was born and March 26th the year my youngest was born. And this year, it lands on April 24th, which to me, seems like the latest Easter I can remember.

Going to http://www.timeanddate.com/ can show any calendar from any year to see when Easter fell in any given year. But who sets the date for Easter and how do they decided? Why not celebrate on the day Christ was resurrected?

Well, for one thing, Christians, theologians, and scholars cannot agree on the day Christ was crucified or resurrected. Christians celebrate the Good Friday Crucifixion to Sunday morning resurrection timeline. But that’s not three days and three nights. And according to Mathew 12:39-40, Christ was in the earth for three days and three nights.Matthew 12: 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.40For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

So, then, how could Christ be crucified on Friday and resurrected on Sunday. The math doesn’t add up. Then again, according to the Gregorian calendar, Sunday is the first day of the week and the sabbath falls on Saturday. And the Gregorian calendar is a continuation of the Julian calendar that started with the year Jesus was born. But most western religions who celebrate the birth and resurrection of Christ worship on Sunday. So, maybe that’s why Christians cling to the Good Friday to Easter Sunday time line.But according to some- http://www.herealittletherealittle.net/index.cfm?page_name=Jesus-Resurrection -Christ was crucified between 9:00 a.m and 3:00 p.m. He was then placed in the grave. Although this isn’t a full 24 hours, it counts as the first day and first night in the grave. Thursday and Friday are days two and three and Christ arose on Saturday, the day then recognized as the Sabbath.So, why don’t Christians follow this time line? And why do we celebrate on different days and even months?

How is Easter even determined?

Easter is determined by the equinox. Every year around March 21 and September 23, there is twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness. Day and night are equal. These two days are known as the vernal or spring equinox and the autumnal equinox.

In 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea established Easter as the first Sunday after the first full moon and dependant upon the ececclesiastical approximation of March 21 for the vernal equinox. But if the full moon falls on Sunday, Easter is delayed one week, which decreases the chances of it falling on the same day as the Jewish Passover.

So, if Easter is celebrated at different times of the month, does it really matter whether Christ died on a Friday and was ressurrected on Sunday. Or if he died on Wednesday and was ressurected on Saturday? What matters is that Christ was tortured, ridiculed, and crucified for our sins. He was buried in a tomb where he lay dead for three days before his ressurection on the third day. And because he died, we migh live and have eternal life.Believing and having faith is what counts.

In the words of Sturar Chase~ “For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible.”